Finding the Best Netflix Player

Last Updated: July 18th, 2012

What’s the best Netflix player? There are over nine hundred devices that stream Netflix such as Blu-ray players, tablets, smart phones, smart TVs and set top boxes. However, not all Netflix players are created equal. Tech of the Hub is always on the hunt for the best Netflix player. I’ve written extensively about the subject and I’ve created this page as a centralized repository of that knowledge. Here is the original February 2011 post I wrote comparing the Apple TV 2, Roku XDS, Playstation 3, Wii and TiVo. While all Netflix players let you play titles from your Instant Queue, other features are limited to select players. Features such as 1080P high definition (HD) video and surround sound create a better viewing experience. Even within HD video and surround sound there are two different levels of quality. While many players can play Netflix video in 720P HD, only a select few can access the 1080P streams. Even with surround sound, some players offer Dolby Digital while others offer the superior Dolby Digital Plus. Yes, in both cases there is a noticeable difference with the right TV and sound system. I’ve created a list below of which players have these premium functions.

The Netflix players also have a wide variety of user interfaces (UIs). With a catalog of tens of thousands of TV episodes and movies, having an easy way to navigate and find content is important. We’ve captured as many user interfaces as possible in the Netflix UI Gallery. While some UIs are superior to others, sometimes preferring one over another is simply a matter of taste. Personally, I like the Apple TV’s Netflix interface the best. Not only is it easy to use but it offers suggestions based on a particular title you are looking at.

Netflix Player Recommendations

What’s the best Netflix player today? My favorite Netflix player for the living room is the 2012 Panasonic DMP-BDT220. This Blu-ray player supports 1080P, Dolby Digital Plus and closed captions. The picture quality from the BDT220 is superb. It also can stream content at 24 frames per second. For more details, see my in-depth review of the Panasonic DMP-BDT220 as a Netflix player. By the way, it also plays Blu-rays!

For a stand-alone streaming box, I recommend the Roku 2 XS. Note, while it offers 1080P, Dolby Digital Plus and closed captioning, one needs an A/V receiver with HDMI and Dolby Digital Plus decoding to fully utilize it. If you have an older receiver with digital optical inputs, a great alternative is the WD TV Live boxes. The only drawback is that it doesn’t offer as many content choices as the Roku, In particular, it doesn’t offer Amazon Instant Video but it does offer VUDU. (Note: While I’ve tried it, I haven’t thoroughly tested out the WD TV Live).

I also like to use the 3rd generation Apple TV that was released in March 2012. Like its predecessor, the Apple TV has a great user interface for browsing titles IMHO. Unlike its predecessor, the new Apple TV will now stream Netflix in 1080P. While the Apple TV supports closed captions and Dolby Digital surround sound, it does not support Dolby Digital Plus. The Apple TV is also the best way to stream iTunes movies, music and TV shows into the living room. Here’s a walk through of the new Apple TV software.

If you’re interested in just a basic Netflix player, the Roku LT is the most affordable option. At $49, it still offers 720P HD video, surround sound, closed caption support and is easy to use.

Update: A new Netflix player has just been released for the TiVo Premiere. Supporting all of the premium Netflix features, it’s another great choice for watching Netflix. It’s the only Netflix player that I’ve found that automatically adjusts to the frame-rate of the material it’s streaming. I’ll add more info here later but for now read my hands-on review.

Roku 2 XS

While the Netflix support site lists devices that support 1080P and Dolby Digital, I have found instances where that list is not accurate (e.g. the Boxee have Dolby Digital and the 2011 Panasonic Blu-ray players supporting 1080P when they do not).

Hi Techofthehub,
Interesting Thoughts, Scheduled to be released sometime in the second quarter of 2011, Krell’s Evolution 555 Blu-ray Player has a lot of people talking. First introduced at last years CES show, this $15,000 player is Krell first attempt at the Blu-ray market. Trying to set the standard in Blu-ray performance the Evolution 555 will be loaded with the latest and finest video and audio features.
I’ll be back to read more next time

Will the Panasonic DMP-BDT220 play subtitles when streaming using Netflix? And can anyone please tell me about any blue ray players that will. I know about other devices such as Roku etc….I’m interested in blue ray players only. Thank you!

The Panasonic DBP-BDT220 will display closed captions in Netflix. The 2011 players from Panasonic (and LG) will also show closed captions. Most Netflix-enabled Blu-ray players that came out in 2012 have closed caption support including those from Sony, LG and Samsung.

I’ve got an older ps3 fat. I don’t seem to be getting the dd + on my Denon receiver ( it’s new and can decode it ).. I’ve heard that the older ps3′s downconvert the dd+ to regular dolby. Is this true? If so I’m thinking about picking up the roku2 xs, As I know that has dd+ support. Basically my question is what has better sound in the case of an older ps3 fat?

That’s correct. The PS3 outputs Dolby Digital not DD Plus. For some titles, there is a difference in sound. I did an A/B test once with the opening scene of Lost Season 1, episode 1. I definitely noticed some more dynamic range with DD Plus. The Roku 2 XS is a good choice.

Great article. Good to see others can also tell the difference between SD, 720p, and 1080p. Also, stereo and 5.1. I think I would settle for 720p if that is the only way to get 5.1 sound (at a decent bit-rate for both audio and video).

Once you have 1080p projector (or just a large flat-panel TV) and real 7.1 sound system … and see what a Blu-Ray can do, it’s hard to settle for less at movie time.

Would it be possible to present this in a chart or spreadsheet format?